Can ADHD Turn Into Bipolar?

I have been diagnosed with ADD for approximately 8 years, but I have been concerned that it may have turned into bipolar disorder, on and off. I intend on getting assessed soon, but i am wondering if it is possible that ADD may have become Bipolar. Also i refuse to take any form of medication. Not even for headaches. I go to a homeopathic doctor rather than a GP. I wonder if i can deal with Bipolar disorder without taking meds. Have you heard of any success with natural remedies, or supplements.

This Disclaimer applies to the Answer Below

Dr. Dombeck responds to questions about psychotherapy and mental health problems, from the perspective of his training in clinical psychology.

Dr. Dombeck intends his responses to provide general educational information to the readership of this website; answers should not be understood to be specific advice intended for any particular individual(s).

Questions submitted to this column are not guaranteed to receive responses.

No correspondence takes place.

No ongoing relationship of any sort (including but not limited to any form of professional relationship) is implied or offered by Dr. Dombeck to people submitting questions.

Dr. Dombeck, Mental Help Net and CenterSite, LLC make no warranties, express or implied, about the information presented in this column. Dr. Dombeck and Mental Help Net disclaim any and all merchantability or warranty of fitness for a particular purpose or liability in connection with the use or misuse of this service.

Always consult with your psychotherapist, physician, or psychiatrist first before changing any aspect of your treatment regimen. Do not stop your medication or change the dose of your medication without first consulting with your physician.

Answer:

To the best of my knowledge it is absolutely impossible for ADD to turn into Bipolar Disorder. These are just two completely separate illnesses/conditions. I can understand your reluctance to take medication, but have to strongly disagree with it. If you are truly ill with Bipolar Disorder, there isn’t going to be a homeopathic remedy that will help. You’ll want to consult with a conventional psychiatrist to design a medication regime designed for bipolar illness as your best bet for being symptom free. And the stakes are not low if you don’t go with conventional medication (assuming you do have bipolar disorder). Some minority percentage of persons with bipolar illness commit suicide. The rest of them have chaotic and difficult lives and a lot of that chaos could be avoided with adherence to a properly designed medication regime. But, it is your life to choose how to live.

ADD/HD does not turn into bipolor, but it is possible to have both at once, it's called comorbidity. ADD/HD comorbidities can included depression, and a lot of other combinations I do not have the book right in front of me so I won't list anything than what I can accurately remember.
I hope this helps

My son was diagnosed with depression and ADD several years ago, when he was about 11 years old. He had been diagnosed with ADD when he was 8 years old. Over the years we have tried to go many routes: no meds, some meds, etc. He is now 18 years old and more or less because all traditional anti-depressant & ADD meds meds have not helped his depression or his ADD, his doctor has recently tried him on bi-polar meds. (He had not shown any signs of bi-polar, except the depression, in the past). He has had such a significantly positive response to the meds, it is amazing! We are still not sure if we are dealing with bi-polar, but the meds have literally saved his life! I believe that many symptoms can mask other disorders, such as ADHD and depression, and it can be very tricky to properly diagnose for many people. My advise would be to stay in close contact with your physicain and keep trying to find out what you are dealing with. Once they figure out exactly what your true diagnosis is, they will be better able to treat your condition. Good luck!

I was also diagnosed as having ADHD, but the older I've gotten and the more I've read about it, I'm fairly certain it was a misdiagnosis of early-onset Bipolar disorder.
Some of the symptoms are actually very similar and can be very easily confused. You should do some internet research on differentiating the two, or go to your local bookstore and peruse through some of the BP books. Several of them have some good chapters on BP vs. ADHD.

I am bi-polar. I have been diagnosed many things from the time I was 7 until around 22 when it was suggested I try lithium. It worked very well. I did not moniter my kidney level's very closely while taking the lithium and after 10 years of taking a high dose I was told I had the kidney function of someone with one kidney. To make a long story short if I had monitered the kidney function closer I would still have two healthy kidneys. I didn't and as soon as I stopped lithium my kidneys stopped getting worse. Nothing I have taken since lithium works as well. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TAKE LITHIUM! Just have your blood tested and the test examined regularly. Make sure you have a good CPK level.

As a side note: The depression is bad but you will get over it. The euphoria is good but you will get over it too. Try not to run up a credit dept while you are eurphoric. Try not to drive the ones you love or rather love you crazy. Try to be happy... Never,Never,Never, Kill Yourself... I don't know the percentage but if you have children some of them might be bi-polar. Let you future spouse get to know both of your sides, or all three high,middle,low before you tie the knot and learn to say I love you and I a m sorry...

For more information about MentalHelp.net, visit our about page or contact us.

Wait, did you know that...

Many addiction experts suggest that by removing yourself from your
typical environment, and your “triggers”, it becomes easier to get
and stay sober.
With that in mind, would you like to learn about
some of the best options for treatment in the country?